PRSA Houston’s Excalibur Awards honor outstanding public

relations professionals, programs and tactics. In a nod to Space City

and the 50th anniversary of the historic moon landing, we were very

happy to celebrate Houston’s own “Giant Leaps in PR” from the

past year on June 27, 2019, at the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria.

It was an “out of this world” celebration and we once again set the

standard for excellence with several of our peers winning for

outstanding work. A special thank you to our Awards and Gala

committees for making the PRSA Houston Chapter shine!

See you in 2020!

#GiantLeapsInPR

Integrated Communications

The CKP Group

Gold

“Discovery Green Integrated Communications”

Discovery Green is a vibrant 12-acre park in the heart of downtown Houston that

celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018. CKP, as agency of record for Discovery

Green, was charged with executing an integrated communications plan to drive

higher attendance throughout the anniversary year. CKP produced great results:

1,561 local media placements representing 1,480,174,053 impressions and a PR

value of $17,968,890; 44,411,728 organic impressions with 379,576 engagements

on social channels; and 7,890,236 highly-targeted paid impressions at total spend

of $24,445.47. But the best result is a 101% year-over-year increase in park

attendance during calendar year 2018.

2019 Legacy Award Winner

Sally Mathis Ramsay, Pierpont Communications

Sally Mathis Ramsay is senior vice president at Pierpont Communications and 2006

PRSA Houston Chapter past president. An award-winning communicator, admired

mentor and proud LSU graduate, Ramsay has contributed to the development and

growth of countless organizations over her career. She currently serves Pierpont’s

public relations clients with nearly three decades of strategic communication

experience.

Ramsay joined PRSA Houston in 1985 and served on the board continuously from

2003 to 2015. She was named the PRSA Houston 2006 Public Relations

Professional of the Year, a true testament to the outstanding service she dedicated

to the chapter and the empowering example she set for her peers and mentees. She

has been the university ambassador and advisor to the Stephen F. Austin PRSSA

Chapter for many years and continues to meet with the students on a regular basis.

Throughout the years, Ramsay’s commitment to her clients – and her profession –

have not gone unnoticed. She’s garnered numerous awards for her innovative and

successful campaigns in the areas of financial and professional services,

healthcare, non-profit and retail.

CEO Communicator of the Year

Chief Art Acevedo

Art Acevedo was sworn-in as chief of the Houston Police Department (HPD) on

Nov. 30, 2016. He leads a department of 5,200 sworn law enforcement officers and

1,200 civilian support personnel with an annual general fund budget of $825

million in the fourth largest city in the United States.

Chief Acevedo believes good communication is vital for a successful community and

steadily works to strengthen the bond between the community and its police

department. A proponent of community policing, Chief Acevedo refers to the proven

practice as “Relational Policing,” an opportunity to forge a relationship with each

citizen an officer comes in contact with.

The first Hispanic to lead the HPD, Acevedo brings a unique understanding to the

concerns of the diverse communities in the City of Houston. Born in Cuba, he was

four years old when he migrated to the United States with his family in 1968.

Acevedo grew up in California and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public

Administration from the University of La Verne in California. Acevedo began his

law enforcement career in 1986 as field patrol officer in East Los Angeles with the

California Highway Patrol. He rose through the ranks and was named chief of the

California Highway Patrol in 2005. Acevedo most recently served nine years as

chief of the Austin Police Department.

Chief Acevedo holds various leadership positions with the Major Cities Chiefs

Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is married to

Tanya Born Acevedo and is the father of Melissa, Matthew and Jake.

Young Public Relations Professional of the Year

Mageida Sopon, Medley Inc.

Mageida Sopon, Senior Account Executive at Medley, Inc., thrives in the digital

landscape. She utilizes her skills to help others cross language and cultural barriers

to positively impact multicultural communities. Her efforts have culminated in

achievements such as building $88,000 of earned media for the breast healthcare

nonprofit The Rose within one month, launching over a dozen social media

campaigns with a 15% increase in monthly followers and co-presenting with

Medley’s CEO in Washington, D.C. Mageida creates winning outcomes for clients,

helping save the lives of women in need and increasing interest in Houston’s

developing business sectors.

Public Relations Professional of the Year

Priscilla Thorne Tinsley, University of Houston

Priscilla Thorne Tinsley is an assistant instructional professor at the Jack J. Valenti

School of Communication at the University of Houston, and serves as consultant of

PTT Public Relations, LLC, a Houston-based public relations firm. She has more

than 25 years of professional experience developing and executing effective

strategic communication, marketing, media relations, community relations and

crisis management plans and programs for several companies and organizations in

the corporate and non-profit sectors.

Tinsley previously served as manager of communication/community relations for

Koch Industries, Inc. (Koch Companies Public Sector); director of public relations

for Direct Energy, LP; public relations manager/spokesperson for Foley’s

Department Stores Company; marketing manager for Kelsey-Seybold Clinic;

development supervisor for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation; and

public relations coordinator for the Houston Area Urban League.

Tinsley is a graduate of the University of Houston with a Master of Arts in

Communication with a concentration in Public Relations, and a graduate of the

University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism in Public Relations.

Large PR Agency of the Year

The CKP Group

CKP is a Houston-based agency serving clients through integrated marketing and

public relations solutions. In the last year, CKP's hallmarks include: 28% revenue

increase over LY with 3 quarters left in FY; 61% retainer clients and 25% project-

based clients grew services; Only 1 retainer loss, result of merger, grew new client

from spin-off; Increased staff from 15 to 19; Added employee benefits, including

401k and Charitable Gift Match; Named #6 on Houston Business Journal's Annual

“Best Places to Work” survey; Collectively earned 5,361+ media placements with

7.7+ billion estimated earned media impressions and estimated earned media value

of $112 million.

Non-Profit Communications Team of the Year

University of Houston Division of Administration & Finance

Marketing & Communications

Building a strategic business communications approach to the competitive higher

educational landscape, the UH Division of Administration & Finance Marketing &

Communications Team brought the newly launched “A&F S.P.I.R.I.T.” to a

successful 2018 debut & forward momentum through a fully integrated approach,

leveraging creative branding expertise, illustrative examples and a compelling

business narrative for the sustainable future.

Community Relations Etched Communication

Gold

“Getting Regional Commuters Out of Their Cars”

“Houston, we have a traffic problem.” Houston-Galveston Area Council engaged

Etched Communication to design a local campaign as part of the federally-funded

Commute Solutions Program to get commuters out of single-passenger cars and

into alternative, communal transportation. A community-centered approach,

inclusive of media relations, digital and experiential, played a critical role in not

only educating target audiences but also changing behavior. Public transit in the

Houston region experienced a 3.6% increase last year compared to the previous

year.

Community Relations NASA Johnson Space Center

Silver

“Space City Celebrates NASA’s 60th Anniversary”

All eyes were on NASA’s Johnson Space Center as it hosted an open house for

NASA’s 60th Anniversary, turning the corner on six decades of human spaceflight

milestones. To celebrate the anniversary, our communications team devised an

integrated, multi-platform campaign to showcase Houston’s finest accomplishments

on and off the planet. The team leveraged local media and social media influencers,

created engaging content to draw connections between human spaceflight and

Houston, provided behind-the-scenes experiences for VIPs, and harnessed the

power of our workforce with volunteer opportunities to interact with Houstonians

and visitors.

Community Relations Fort Bend ISD

Silver

“Fort Bend ISD' 2018 Bond Campaign”

During August 2018, Fort Bend Independent School District Trustees voted to call

a $992.6 million bond referendum. Passage of the bond program was necessary to

keep up with the district’s rapid growth, and to maintain/update facilities.

Enhancing the district’s safety and security measures was also top priority, given

the recent surge in school violence. FBISD implemented a strategic

communications plan to engage stakeholders. FBISD voters approved the bond with

74 percent of the vote, amounting to the largest bond program in the district’s

history, and the fifth largest in Texas’ history.

Community Relations Elmore Public Relations

Bronze

“Charting the Waters – Publicizing Flood Mitigation Strategies in Greater

Houston”

In response to the devastating blow Hurricane Harvey dealt Houston, an

independent collaborative of local experts, leading researchers, and community

advocates formed the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium to compile,

analyze and share a rich array of scientifically-informed data about flood risk and

mitigation opportunities. Their findings would provide deeper insights to support

collaborative decision-making at all levels as myriad entities steer our region’s

redevelopment. In April 2018, the consortium released its report on flood

mitigation strategies. Elmore Public Relations was tasked with promoting their

findings to the public through strategic stakeholder outreach and thoughtfully-

executed media relations efforts.

Community Relations Memorial Hermann Health System

Bronze

“Hometown Healing”

How do you commemorate the first anniversary of the worst natural disaster in

Houston’s history? Even though Hurricane Harvey left a permanent scar on many

across Greater Houston, it also knitted the community together in a way that had

never happened before. To commemorate this momentous event, Memorial

Hermann wanted to rekindle the community spirit that defined the Harvey response

and find a way to give back to our community, which was still in dire need of

assistance. To achieve this vision, we launched a service campaign called

Hometown Healing to mobilize our workforce into community volunteers.

Crisis Communications and Issues Management

The CKP Group

Bronze

“McDonald's Poster Prank”

Two Filipino-American college students created a fake advertising poster and

installed it in a Houston-area McDonald's restaurant, hoping to spark conversation

about inclusion of Asian models in advertising. The students later tweeted and

posted a video of their stunt on YouTube, quickly garnering more than 1 million

likes, 253,000 retweets and 1.4 million views. As agency of record for McDonald's

Houston, CKP deployed a plan to turn the prank into a positive, engaging local

media, community partners and the local Houston McDonald's corporate team to

portray the brand as responsive and open to community conversations.

Events and Observances NASA Johnson Space Center

Gold

“#LaunchAmerica Announcement: Introducing the First Crews to Fly

Commercial”

After a record-setting announcement event for the 2017 astronaut class, all eyes

were on the lucky few who would be selected as the first crewmembers to fly on

commercial vehicles developed by SpaceX and Boeing. Our communications team

devised a multi-platform campaign to showcase NASA’s first commercial flight

assignments. The campaign aimed to educate America on these crews and excite

aspiring astronauts by leveraging media coverage, social media strategies,

stakeholder relations and engaging content to raise awareness about what

astronauts do on the job, how they train with industry partners and how we’re

preparing for the next chapter of spaceflight.

Events and Observances 9thWonder

Silver

“2018-2019 Foley Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition”

Foley Gardere hosted the Annual Foley Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competitions in

Dallas and Houston, during which fourth- and fifth-grade students delivered

original three-to-five-minute speeches answering the question, "What would Dr.

King say to the children of today’s world?” Both the Dallas and Houston events

included three rounds of competition, from September 2018 through January 2019,

beginning with 16 schools from the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and

24 schools from the Houston Independent School District (HISD). 9thWonder

helped promote the 2018 – 2019 competitions and emphasize Foley Gardere’s role

in the positive impact the events had in the communities.

Events and Observances The CKP Group

Silver

“moonGARDEN Campaign”

To celebrate its 10th birthday, Discovery Green commissioned a temporary public

artwork that mirrored its mission and the story of Houston. moonGARDEN

consisted of 22 gigantic interactive globes employing shadow theaters and dynamic

lighting. CKP, agency of record for Discovery Green, was charged with driving an

integrated strategy to achieve record-breaking attendance. Despite limited

resources, a limited timeline and shoestring budget, CKP produced great results,

including 83,000 people in attendance (137% above the park's goal); 140+ local

media placements representing 62,987,860+ impressions and a PR value of

$1,183,477; and 3m+ paid and organic impressions on social and other local

channels.

Events and Observances Ward

Silver

“Ward & Houston CityPlace Marriott: Gala in the Woods – Celebrating

the opening of Houston CityPlace Marriott at Springwoods Village”

Houston CityPlace Marriott is the first full-service hotel in Springwoods Village, a

master-planned community in North Houston. Ward was tasked with providing

grand opening support. Despite having only four months for event planning and

publicity outreach, the opening was a success, with 450+ key decision-makers

attending soft and grand opening events, dozens of tours for decision makers, and

65 media placements achieving 39+ million impressions for a cost of 0.056 cent per

impression - a high-value return on client’s investment. With high awareness and

grassroots outreach, the sales team booked 137 events and the property is sold-out

Monday-Wednesday every week.

Events and Observances Carbonara Group

Bronze

“United Way of Greater Houston Harvey One-Year Anniversary”

Anniversary milestones of natural disasters can either serve as a celebration of the

great lengths residents have come or as a rallying point for unfinished work. In

Houston, it was the latter. One year after Hurricane Harvey hit the Greater

Houston area, thousands of Houstonians were still not back in their homes and

continued to face a daunting recovery process. United Way of Greater Houston, a

leader in long-term disaster recovery, used the one-year anniversary of Harvey to

bring the community together for a day of service while reminding people across

the country that many still needed help.

Integrated Communications

NASA Johnson Space Center

Silver

“Year of Education on Station: Showcasing the International Space

Station as an Educational Platform”

Often overlooked as a key component to the success of the space program, efforts in

advancing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education are

paramount to ensuring the future workforce is excited and prepared to lead life-

changing science and engineering discoveries. The Year of Education on Station

capitalized on the fortunate scenario of having astronauts and former classroom

teachers Joe Acaba and Ricky Arnold on back-to-back missions to the International

Space Station. Presented with this ideal opportunity, a plan was developed to

engage students and educators in NASA-unique STEM activities while providing a

strong connection to astronauts living in space.

Integrated Communications University of Houston

Silver

“UH College of Medicine Integrated Communications”

Throughout 2018, the University of Houston was putting the pieces in place for the

UH College of Medicine. The Division of University Marketing, Communication

and Media Relations launched an integrated marketing and communication

campaign to educate key audiences about the need for the new college, highlight

the distinct and differentiating model of the medical school, and emphasize its value

and importance to Houston and all of Texas—all of which were critical for

garnering necessary approvals, the private and state financial support, and

private/public partnerships needed to make the College of Medicine a success.

Integrated Communications

Love Advertising

Bronze

“Battleship Texas Foundation: Come and Save It Campaign”

In 2018, The Battleship Texas, a beloved World War I and World War II naval

destroyer, faced her biggest battle yet – time. Seawater is wreaking havoc on the

hull and She is disappearing into the harbor a little more each day. Through the

efforts of Love Advertising’s PR team, the Battleship Texas Foundation quickly

became the talk of the town. Integrated efforts resulted in a media reach of more

than 191,360,262; a 350 percent increase in average time spent on the foundation’s

webpage; 50,000 unique page views to date; 402 donations; and 50,000 petition

signatures in just four months.

Integrated Communications Mattress Firm

Bronze

“Mattress Firm Announces First-Ever “Snoozetern” to Sleep on the Job”

Consumers typically only think about mattresses when they are in the market for a

better night’s sleep. With the definition of mattress retailers changing each day, the

industry is in a battle to get Americans into their beds. Though Mattress Firm is the

largest specialty mattress retailer, we were challenged to grab consumer attention

while competing against industry disruptors who have the backing of million-dollar

celebrity or influencer sponsorships. By introducing “Snoozetern,” we successfully

shifted consumers’ and job hunters’ perceptions of our brand to innovative and

conversation-worthy – all while driving incremental traffic, sales and applications

for new talent.

Internal Communications

NASA Johnson Space Center

Gold

“Roundup: Revamping and Rebranding Internal Communications for the

Next Generation”

NASA’s Johnson Space Center has served as a hub of human spaceflight activity for

more than half a century. As NASA aims to return to the Moon, we must engage a

diverse workforce to generate excitement and effectively disseminate critical

information. One particular challenge is to interest both the emerging workforce as

well as more established employees, including some who have worked at Johnson

since the Apollo era. To accomplish our goals, the Johnson’s External Relations

Office reinvented its internal communications strategies for the digital era. This

campaign, called “Roundup,” led to improved communication with the workforce.

Marketing Consumer Products and Services The CKP Group

Gold

“The Grove Marketing Campaign”

The Grove Houston is a 10-year-old restaurant in Discovery Green. CKP was

engaged to develop guerrilla marketing and media strategies. CKP executed an

influencer marketing and PR campaign from June 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018.

The campaign netted more than 228 media placements, generating 66,796,853+

cumulative impressions for a PR value of $1,716,905+, and influencer coverage

through blogs and social media netted 143 placements with 1,325,078+

impressions and a PR value of $15,901+. Revenue results showed 28% growth in

sales year-over-year for the reporting period, trending up more than five times the

national average.

Marketing Consumer Products and Services Elmore Public Relations

Silver

“Marketing the Nutcracker Market: Reaching Social Media-Savvy

Consumers”

Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market is one of Houston’s most anticipated shopping,

social, and charitable holiday events. Growing from a church bazaar to, now 38

years later as the second-largest charity event at NRG Park, Nutcracker Market

welcomes over 100,000 shoppers annually. Since 2014, Elmore Public Relations

has supported the Market’s public relations and marketing strategies. In 2018,

aiming to expand the Market’s reach to include a more social media-savvy

audience, Elmore PR hosted 17 of Houston’s most influential online personalities

for a preview event. An undeniable success, the event earned the Market significant

promotion to the influencers’ collective half-a-million followers.

Marketing Consumer Products and Services Midway Creative

Silver

“Kings Harbor - Rebuild and Relaunch / Demos to Dreams”

After historic flooding devastated Kings Harbor, Kingwood's only waterfront

mixed-use destination, Midway helped small businesses recover physically and

financially. Midway's marketing team created a campaign to lift business owners'

spirits and reassure the community they would rebuild and return, better than

before. A refreshed brand, new web site, community-centric events, and social

media campaign #DemosToDreams revived the mom & pop shops. A year later,

most businesses had returned, some even expanded, new businesses moved in, and a

grand reopening event capped the year with a fireworks celebration (rescheduled

for New Year's eve after July 4th was rained out).

Marketing Consumer Products and Services Coyne PR

Bronze

“Pennzoil Gives Fans a Lap Around the Ring in Mini-Film”

When it comes to motor oil, Pennzoil is known for thinking outside of the bottle.

Consumers and automotive enthusiasts alike have come to know Pennzoil for not

only the quality of their product, but for the action-packed short films they produce.

Pennzoil knew that they had succeeded in finding a unique way to resonate with

fans in ways other brands couldn’t, and they weren’t ready to hit the brakes just yet.

To debut this new mini-film, Pennzoil meshed fan’s love for heart-pounding driving,

with journalist’s love for quality content and were able to launch “Escaping the

Ring” with resounding success.

Marketing Consumer Products and Services METRO

Bronze

“Train for the Game - Take METRO to the Dynamo”

Meet Diesel, sage traveler and mascot for your Houston Dynamo soccer club. In

this commercial, Diesel goes out into the Houston wild to show soccer fans how

easy it is to take METRORail to BBVA Compass Stadium. Better yet, fans with a

valid game ticket ride FREE to the every home game. This is a great deal for fans

wanting to travel to the game without the hassle of traffic and parking. Special

thanks to our partners the Dynamo and, of course, Diesel for his participation. That

mascot is definitely one sly...well, you get the idea.

Most Effective Campaign on a Shoestring Budget

($5,000 or less) University of Houston

Silver

“#CougarRedFriday”

On Fridays we wear red! The #CougarRedFriday campaign started in 2008 when

UH President Renu Khator set about transforming a school derisively called

Cougar High into an academic and athletic powerhouse. How does the university

keep a 10-year-old movement fresh and exciting? Despite not having a budget for

the social media campaign, the UH Social Media team gave the #CougarRedFriday

a new look and new life in 2018, and engaged some of the biggest names in pop

culture along way.

Multicultural Public Relations

Love Advertising

Gold

“Sam Houston Area Council Hispanic Campaign: Su Futuro. Tu Orgullo.”

The Boy Scouts of America, Sam Houston Area Council wanted to increase

awareness and enrollment among Houston Hispanic families. The organization

partnered with Love Advertising in 2018 to create and execute the Hispanic-

targeted campaign "Su Futuro. Tu Orgullo." Love Advertising’s PR team

conducted thorough research and planning throughout the campaign in order to

reach the designated, overall communication goal: position the organization as a

desirable, inclusive, character-building organization for Hispanic youth. As a

result, Love Advertising secured signature stories across Hispanic and general

print, broadcast and online, and garnered additional exposure through prominent

local Hispanic events.

Public Service/Non-Profit Campaigns Buckner International

Gold

“Buckner Brings Hope to Houston”

Ahead of the Oct. 2018 opening of Buckner International’s second Buckner Family

Hope Center of Houston, we developed and implemented a public relations/media

relation campaign to generate increased brand and media exposure in the Houston

market. Buckner International is a 140-year-old faith-based nonprofit ministry, but

despite operating in Houston since 1955, Buckner has struggled to become a well-

recognized nonprofit in the city. Increasing our media placements in Houston was a

vital way to better engage clients and donors in order to help with operational costs

of the Family Hope Center.

Reputation/Brand Management Carbonara Group

Gold

“Sawyer Yards ‘Gray Sofa Project’”

In the historic First Ward neighborhood of Houston lies one of the nation’s largest

working creative communities. Over 350 artists occupy six refurbished industrial

warehouses and create art spanning nearly every medium. Sawyer Yards is growing

its reputation as an important local arts and entertainment destination, but is still a

hidden gem to many Houstonians. “Gray Sofa Project” was a collaboration

developed by Carbonara Group between Sawyer Yards and the Houston Chronicle

to reach the target-rich audience of interior designers and home décor

professionals while publicizing to the broader community the breadth of art

available at Sawyer Yards.

Reputation/Brand Management Coyne PR

Silver

“Shell Rotella: The Starship Initiative”

Shell Rotella®, the category leader in heavy-duty lubricants, saw an opportunity to

leverage their acclaim and position to push the industry forward by showcasing

currently available technologies to overall transportation efficiency for the trucking

industry. In addition, they sought to refocus the conversation away from miles per

gallon (MPG) to a much more efficient and accurate measurement called, freight

ton efficiency (FTE), which considers the overall energy consumed to move goods.

This reframed conversation would also direct the discussion to include driver

habits. The Starship Initiative was the output of the desire to kick-start changing

this conversation in the industry.

Reputation/Brand Management Ward

Silver

“Elevating Aggreko: Apart from the Pack”

Ward positioned Aggreko as an experienced, highly valuable partner in the myriad

industries the temporary power and temperature control rental company serves.

Ghost-written editorial helped prove their industry-specific engineering prowess

and problem-solving skills – thereby separating them from the pack of rental

companies competing on price.

Blogs University of Houston Division

Bronze

“UH Energy Fellows on Forbes”

Each year a group of University of Houston faculty engaged in energy-related work

across a variety of disciplines are selected as UH Energy Fellows, working with the

University’s energy initiative, UH Energy, and producing a blog hosted by

Forbes.com to engage the public, other thought leaders and policymakers in a

national conversation about energy. The blog significantly outperforms our

traditional news releases – blog posts published in 2018 averaged 10,786

pageviews, more than 15 times the 688 average pageviews for individual news

releases posted on the University’s website.

Creative or Unconventional Tactics Paige PR

Gold

“Hashtag Mosaic Wall to and Engage Community, Employees and

Attendees at OTC50”

Every year, Gardner Denver has a strong presence at the Offshore Technology

Conference (OTC), one of the largest energy conferences in the world. Gardner

Denver engaged Paige PR to develop a unique event activation that would resonate

with the OTC audience, both in person and through social media. The goals of this

campaign were three-fold: 1. To promote the fact that Gardner Denver is a

Community Partner with the Houston Astros 2. To promote Gardner Denver’s

community initiative to support Houston fire fighters 3. To increase engagement

through social media for internal and external audiences.

Creative or Unconventional Tactics Memorial Hermann Health System

Bronze

“Smiles are Contagious”

Each year, about 7,000 babies are born with a cleft lip and other craniofacial

abnormalities, according to the CDC. Most undergo surgery during the first year of

their lives to repair a cleft lip, and require additional surgeries and treatment as

they grow. In July, which is recognized as National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness

& Prevention Month, Memorial Hermann aimed to raise awareness of these

abnormalities and the importance of long-term management through an inspiring

and multi-faceted public relations campaign called Smiles are Contagious that

centered on an art gallery featuring portraits of children born with cleft or

craniofacial abnormalities.

Editorials/Op-Ed Columns Elmore Public Relations

Gold

“Bridging the Green Gaps: Bayou Greenways 2020”

The Houston Parks Board is transforming Houston into a greener city. By the end

of 2020, its ambitious $220 million Bayou Greenways 2020 initiative will connect

150 miles of linear trails and yield 3,000 acres of green space along Houston’s

bayous, creating equitable park access for most Houstonians. In Fall 2018,

Elmore Public Relations crafted an op-ed for the Houston Chronicle’s “Gray

Matters” section to publicize a major Bayou Greenways 2020 milestone – the

Mason Park Bridge completion – and to illustrate the impact the project has in

“bridging the green gaps” and connecting Houstonians to one another.

Editorials/Op-Ed Columns Memorial Hermann Health System

Silver

“Doctors Made Cars Safer. Guns are Next.”

It was a tweet heard ‘round the (medical) world, one that would ignite a coalition

of doctors to coalesce their efforts against gun violence. In November 2018, the

NRA suggested that “anti-gun” doctors stay in their lane on firearms, sparking a

passionate response from doctors who have seen firsthand the death and

destruction caused by guns. While doctors across the U.S. weighed into the debate,

Dr. James McCarthy, who practices in one of the busiest Level I trauma centers in

the country, wanted to take a more strategic approach – offer up a solution that

would unite, not divide.

Editorials/Op-Ed Columns

Love Advertising

Bronze

“Celltex: The 21st century solution for the U.S. opioid epidemic that we

keep missing”

Throughout 2018, the opioid addiction health crisis made headlines, with many

stories focusing on how professional athletes become dependent on opioids to

manage pain. Houston-based biotechnology company, Celltex, has helped several

athletes improve their quality of life through their proprietary mesenchymal stem

cell (MSC) banking technology that prepares MSCs to be used therapeutically,

including for pain management. Love Advertising developed an op-ed from Jackie

Sherrill’s perspective as both a Celltex client and former professional athlete and

coach. The op-ed published successfully in the Houston Chronicle, presenting MSC

therapy as an alternative for pain management for the opioid addiction crisis.

Editorials/Op-Ed Columns Zintel Public Relations

Bronze

“Increasing Privacy Concerns Call For New Way To Protect Encryption

Keys”

This opinion piece highlights how ever-increasing privacy concerns are creating a

fast-growing demand for new ways to protect the encryption keys that safeguard

our personal data. This cybersecurity executive lays out WHY it's worth it to rethink

your approach to protecting customer data and WHY he thinks organization can no

longer rely on aging, legacy technology.

Feature Stories The CKP Group

Silver

“Frank Stella Feature Story”

In 2017, CKP completed a strategic communications plan for the University of

Houston's public art collection. On the heels of that effort, CKP led a public

relations campaign in Spring 2018 to launch the collection's 50th anniversary. The

hallmark of CKP's campaign was a feature story in the Houston Chronicle's “Zest”

section five days before the first event that generated 1,550,826+ impressions and

$18,610 in PR value. “An Evening with Frank Stella” became a sell-out two days

later and public interest prompted UH to offer a livestream, making it the best-

attended event in the Public Art program's 50-year history.

Feature Stories C. T. Bauer College of Business

Silver

“Grateful Heart”

This piece shares the story of Bauer College student Caroline Ferguson, who lost

her father to suicide and found hope through her small business, Grateful and

Company. Through Bauer College’s Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, Ferguson

found a community of support as well as the tools to launch her business.

Feature Stories C. T. Bauer College of Business

Bronze

“The Wonderful Kind”

The piece highlights 8th Wonder, a business located in East Downtown Houston

that is more than just a brewery. It focuses on Ryan Soroka, owner and

entrebrewneur of the establishment, and Bauer alumnus.

Grass Roots Program/Guerilla Marketing The CKP Group

Bronze

“The Grove Influencer Marketing”

The Grove Houston is a 10-year-old urban dining concept nestled in downtown

Houston's Discovery Green. The Grove launched a new brunch program in 2018

and engaged CKP to develop guerrilla marketing efforts to increase sales and

enhance interest. CKP executed multiple innovative low cost/no cost influencer

marketing campaigns. From June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018, influencer

coverage of The Grove Houston through blogs and social media netted 143

placements with 1,325,078+ impressions and a PR value of $15,901+. Revenue

results showed 28% growth in sales year-over-year for the reporting period,

trending up more than five times the national average.

Magazines C. T. Bauer College of Business

Bronze

“Inside Bauer Magazine”

Inside Bauer is the official magazine of the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the

University of Houston. Our team produced two issues in 2018, one focusing on

small business and the second highlighting the college’s global community. Both

issues were produced in-house, using existing resources with no additional impact

to the college budget.

News Release Love Advertising

Silver

“Celltex: Texas A&M Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Celltex

Therapeutics enter agreement for Alzheimer’s research”

Celltex Therapeutics is a Houston-based biotechnology company initiating

breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, specifically in the area of adult

mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In February 2018, Celltex partnered with Texas

A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine Institute for

Regenerative Medicine on a ground-breaking research agreement investigating

potential cures for Alzheimer’s disease, which affects five million Americans. After

distributing and pitching a news release that shared this important news, the Love

PR team helped Celltex achieve more than 143 media mentions, reaching a total

potential audience of 125 million, valued at $143,000 of earned media coverage.

News Release Paige PR

Silver

“MMEX Resources Corp. Enters into Solar Power Plan for its Refinery

Project”

MMEX Resources Corporation (MMEX) engaged Paige PR to draft and distribute

their latest news with plans to develop a solar power project to provide electric

power to its planned full-scale crude oil refinery in Fort Stockton, Texas. In order

to best communicate this news on a national scale, Paige PR recommended putting

the news release out “over the wire” using PR Newswire, targeting journalists and

publications that focus on oil and energy in the U.S. In addition, Paige PR pitched

the release via email to a curated media contact list of influential energy

journalists, trade and business publications.

News Release Zintel Public Relations

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“Crypto Security Technology Unveiled”

Writing about crypto security in an easily understood manner can be a challenge!

But this agency made it easy and rewarding for its client. The agency worked with

the cybersecurity startup to launch a new open source library for blockchain

developers. Aimed at crypto wallets and exchanges, the new offering provides

uniquely powerful security for crypto assets. The agency worked with the client's

experts to best position the technology and present the value proposition to the

niche audience. A number of industry-specific publications covered the successful

launch.

News Release The CKP Group

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“Dia de Los Muertos News Release”

Discovery Green's 10th anniversary programming included a first-time event, its

Dia de los Muertos fall celebration. CKP led public relations strategy, including a

short-lead press release along with a robust digital press kit (distributed in English

and Spanish), which generated the bulk of more than 43 placements and 57 million

estimated impressions. With few available visual assets and facing stiff

marketplace completion, CKP's research-based approach and planning cut through

the clutter of holiday media fatigue. Discovery Green's Dia de los Muertos

attendance goal was 20,000+ visitors. The estimated number of actual attendees

was 30,000+, 50% above goal.

Newsletters University of Houston Division of Administration & Finance

Marketing & Communications

Gold

“University of Houston Division of Administration & Finance S.P.I.R.I.T.

Newsletter”

Representing the University of Houston Division of Administration & Finance

(A&F) comprised of more than 1,100 employees across 9 departments ranging from

Public Art to Public Safety and Houston Public Media to HR, the debut of the A&F

SPIRIT newsletter, inclusive of an accompanying Message from the Chief Financial

Officer, represented a pivotal opportunity to provide illustrative examples,

connectivity and engagement of the workforce to the overarching A&F Division

S.P.I.R.I.T. goals and objectives.

Podcasts Jack J. Valenti School of Communication

Silver

“Press Play Podcast”

In 2018, the University of Houston’s Valenti School of Communication launched

Press Play, a podcast that has spotlighted digital marketers, journalists,

entrepreneurs and others who are making an impact on our world through

communication. Hosted by Dr. Temple Northup, director of the Valenti School of

Communication, Press Play features candid conversations that extend beyond

cliche success stories. Each episode offers listeners a real look into the guest’s life

and career path to reveal how they transformed from a student into an expert.

Podcasts C. T. Bauer College of Business

Silver

“#WorkingWisdom”

For the third season of Bauer College's in-house podcast, #WorkingWisdom, we

paired student hosts with faculty and alumni to gain a broader audience and bridge

generational gaps among our community.

Social Media NASA Johnson Space Center

Gold

“Will Smith Talks to Space, Tests Limits of Instagram Live”

The true power of increasing NASA’s reach to new audiences outside of its loyal

followers lies in experimenting with innovative techniques and partnering with

influencers who have their own dedicated, diverse followings. The opportunity for

the International Space Station crew to co-host an Instagram Live with Will Smith

on the National Geographic Instagram account offered not only a chance to gain

new technical abilities but to unite unique audiences through common passions,

grow each other’s following, and increase awareness about life in space.

Social Media C. T. Bauer College of Business

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“Bauer College Social Media”

Social media no doubt can boost your brand…if you’re doing it right. Although

from the outside, it might seem like if your job involves social media, you’re

“playing on the Internet all day,” it takes a consistent, integrated and strategic

effort to effectively use social media to build brand love and community

engagement. The Office of Communications leads social media efforts for Bauer

College (the University of Houston’s business school), with a presence on platforms

including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and LinkedIn.

Social Media The CKP Group

Bronze

“Discovery Green Social Media”

Discovery Green's 10th anniversary season was a milestone opportunity to revamp

content marketing strategy to increase awareness and attendance. Results

included: 447% increase in traffic to specific event web pages; 263% increase in

cumulative social media organic impressions; and 1,089% increase in organic

Instagram impressions. At the organizational level, Discovery Green saw an

historic 101% increase in event attendance for the reporting periods. In particular,

the entertainment category's attendance goals were exceeded by an impressive

3,708%, and attendance goals in the special events category were exceeded by

95%.

Special Projects Coyne PR

Silver

“Quaker State Gets Festive with Holiday Travel Survey”

As a motor oil brand, Quaker State doesn’t typically generate media coverage by

making it into holiday gift guides. Quaker State challenged Coyne PR to jump into

the bustling holiday season conversation in a unique way that would capture the

attention of consumers but still feel natural. Knowing that most Americans travel

during the holiday season, Coyne PR partnered with a survey company to find out

how people travel, but with a festive twist to capture the attention of general

consumers.

Video University of Houston

Silver

“Power of Expression”

At the University of Houston, each of our more than 46,000 students has the power

to be successful. We work everyday to ignite their passion and provide resources to

get the job done. Our 2018-2019 institutional commercial “the Power of

Expression” was viewed by millions of people nationwide and conveyed our

enthusiasm and passion for excellence through slam poetry performed by a UH

acting student. UH is known as the “Powerhouse,” and our goal was to strengthen

our trajectory as a nationally recognized public research institution and a force to

be reckoned with on the playing field. Mission accomplished!

Video The CKP Group

Bronze

“Dining Out For Life Video”

Since 1991, AIDS Foundation Houston's one-day event, Dining Out for Life, had

been raising funds to support the nonprofit's programs. CKP's creative video found

ways to make this event once again relevant, exciting and impactful, while

empowering Houstonians to make a difference by simply enjoying a meal at a local

restaurant. The video contributed to a 43% increase in donated revenue for the

Dining Out For Life Houston campaign over 2017. The online video metrics were

impressive, including a 246% increase in views and a 139% increase in view rate

over the previous campaign year in which video was utilized.

Video METRO

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“This is My METRO: Ileana”

Meet Ileana, an actual METRO rider who is a young, successful architect and

Paralympian living in the heart of Houston. Ileana is disabled and qualifies to use

our METROLift paratransit service; however, she happily chooses the freedom and

convenience of riding our local bus service instead – this is her adventure